Foreign policy through foreign aid: the case of federal republic of Germany's aid to Kenya 1963 - 1989

Abstract

Foreign aid is a major feature of North-South interactions. The transaction embraced in the current concepts of foreign aid however, are of various kinds. In this enquiry, our attention is confined to one; to a set of activities and engagements in which means are justified and ostensibly provided for economic and attendant social purposes. In this study, we consider foreign aid as a component of foreign policy; aid programs are shaped and provided with the interests of the donor primarily in mind. And although donor countries normally truncate the philanthropic nature of aid transactions. what belies this public posturing is entenched economic and political priorities in which aid is an important instrument. But the world, in all its salient aspects is always in a state predictability of aid in the face of the international life? This study attempts to elucidate certain elements of flux, what then is the as a component of foreign policy vicissitudes and surprises of and links in the vortex of aid transactions.Through an asemblage of historlcal iterpratations! we hope to undercurrent of the F.R.G - Kenya and explain them. In our inquiry of the F.R.G and to Kenya, we help notes and locate the aid in perspective attempt an analysis of The relationships between domestic pressures and foreign policies generated, attitudes and responses in the recipient country and the international implications of the and relationship between the two countries. Geo-political and geo-economic reasons are Identified Kenya. The as the major planks of the F.R.G aid to prominence of both interests have existed rather simultaneously but emphasis on geo-economic Interests has taken the centre stage In the 1980's, while geo-political concerns were more pronounced in the 1960's in mood with heightened hostility between the Eastern and Western blocs in a bi-polarised international system. In view of the current fundamental changes in the international system, there is, therefore likely to be a shift in priorities of the F.R.G aid concurrent with changing foreign policy goals, possibly culminating in a deterioration in the F.R.G aid to Kenya Consequently, Kenya needs to look more inwardly into usefully exploiting her resources in order to positively readjust to such changes.